For CNN, Petraeus Report All About Withdrawal

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

"This is John Smith, reporting live from the beaches of Normandy, where Allied troops have launched a massive invasion aiming to defeat the Axis."

"John, this is Bob Brown back in the studio. Can you tell us when General Eisenhower thinks the first Allied troops can start to come home?"

"What the . . ?"

OK, the surge isn't D-Day. But surely an important part of what we are looking for in General Petraeus's report today is his assessment of the prospects for success in Iraq, right? Wrong -- if by "we" you include CNN. According to it's 9 A.M. EDT preview of the report, the only thing people care about is the timing of withdrawal:

CNN Newsroom anchor Heidi Collins interviewed Barbara Starr, CNN's Pentagon correspondent.

HEIDI COLLINS: Barbara, what are we expecting to hear today from General Petraeus?

BARBARA STARR: Well, I think everyone is going to be watching for those key words, Heidi, what General Petraeus will recommend about when the first troops can come back home from Iraq. There's about 160,000 U.S. troops there, 30,000 of them are the so-called surge forces, the extra forces that have been in Iraq since February. When can some of those 30,000 start coming home? What everyone will be looking for will be General Petraeus's recommendations on when the first brigade, the first 4,000 or so forces, might be able to return to the United States. There's two schools of thought right now, and he might recommend perhaps in the December-January timeframe, security is good enough right now that he can do without them, let them come back early, send that signal. The other school of thought is, no, he will wait and say they cannot come home till April. April is a key month on the calendar because no matter what the surge begins to run out at that time; there aren't enough troops to go in past the spring of '08. So everyone will be looking at the calendar when he starts to talk; December-January timeframe, and then the April timeframe. It's all about when those first troops will be able to come home, Heidi.

COLLINS: Yeah, it sure is.

Yeah, it sure is all about withdrawal for CNN. For that was the end of CNN's Petraeus report preview. Not one word about the prospects for success.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Ping to Today show list.

[jdm]

Unbelievable!!!!

[goldstategop]

The MSM is like a bunch of children demanding to know how soon the war will be over. Wars are not fought according to the media's preferences.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[traditional1]

"The MSM is like a bunch of children demanding to know how soon the war will be over"

"Are we there yet?", "Are we there yet?"

[roses of sharon]

CNN deserves a slew of email today, sending one now.

Our troops deserve it!

[Maceman]

Wars are not fought according to the media's preferences.

They will be if the Democrats win the White House.

[MinuteGal]

The good General's report will be on in a "couple of hours", so schedule your chores accordingly, but keep an eye on the tube.

Leni

[johnny7]

“Can you tell us when General Eisenhower thinks the first Allied troops can start to come home?"

“When will Roosevelt sit down with Herr Hitler?”

[jveritas]

The left wing lunatics are so eager to satisfy their fake mental orgasms and their delusions that they will be celebrating thinking that a reduction from 170,000 troops to 166,000 troops many months from now is a great victory for them and that they got what they wanted when in reality it is totally opposite to what they wanted because any withdrawal in the future is a proof that we are winning and we do not need as many troops rather than that we lost as the traitors on the left want.

As I said before liberals and their media suffer from Arabism decease which is a severe delusional illness where the people suffering from it see themselves all powerful and victorious over their enemy when in reality they are utterly defeated.

[MurryMom]

Supporters of the McCain Doctrine surge have a credibility problem. Here's why.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), yesterday morning:

"Americans are sad, they're frustrated, they're angry, and they want out. And I understand that; there were four years of failure under Rumsfeld. As you know, I spoke out early on, in November of 2003, saying that strategy was doomed to failure."

McCain, in December 2003:

"This is a mission accomplished. They know how much influence Saddam Hussein had on the Iraqi people, how much more difficult it made to get their cooperation."

McCain, in March 2004:

"I'm confident we're on the right course."

McCain, in December 2005:

"I do think that progress is being made in a lot of Iraq. Overall, I think a year from now, we will have made a fair amount of progress if we stay the course. If I thought we weren't making progress, I'd be despondent."

When war supporters like the author of the McCain Doctrine wonder why they have credibility problems when it comes to Iraq policy, quoting their past public statements offers a strong hint.

[DGHoodini]

For CNN and all the LibPervs, it’s always about premature withdrawal, and running away.

[ravingnutter]

Geez...you and I actually agree on something...McCain has no credibility. On the other hand, neither does Reid, Pelosi and their ilk because the surge is working.

In the Wake of the Surge, By Michael J. Totten, July 24, 2007
http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/001497.html

Iraq Report: Tribes in Khalis Pledge to Fight al Qaeda, By Bill Roggio,July 24, 2007
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2007/07/iraq_report_tribes_in_khalis_p.asp

The Surge Succeeds, By J.R. Dunn, July 24, 2007
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/07/the_surge_succeeds.html

Interview, Keane Assessment, A general’s impression July 25, 2007
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZjI1YzNjN2YyM2YzZWRmYjFmYjA1NTAwN2NjNDhkZDk=

Oh, Boyda: Kansas Congresswoman Walks out on General’s Positive IraqTestimony By Tom Blumer, July 30, 2007
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2007/07/30/oh-bodya-kansas-congresswoman-walks-out-generas-positive-iraq-testimony

WINNING IN IRAQ AND LOSING IN WASHINGTON, by Ralph Peters, July 26, 2007
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07262007/postopinion/opedcolumnists/winning_in_iraq_opedcolumnists_ralph_peters.htm?page=1

US gains against Iraq Al Qaeda July 30, 2007
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C07%5C30%5Cstory_30-7-2007_pg4_1

The New York Times’ John Burns: “The Possibility Of As Many As A MillionIraqis Dying” (If we leave). Interview by Hugh Hewitt, Monday, July 30, 2007
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/g/ede5e271-ea71-4513-9071-34571f229847

A War We Just Might Win By MICHAEL E. O’HANLON and KENNETH M. POLLACKJuly 20, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/opinion/30pollack.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

Turning Point? 31 July 2007
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YWQ5NDkwMDNiMzZhODNlNjdhN2JiM2EyMjQ1N2ZmMWQ=

Defeatism Defeated? by Thomas Sowell 1 Aug 2007
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/ThomasSowell/2007/08/01/defeatism_defeated

Bread and a Circus, Part I of II, by Michal Yon, 31 July 2007
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/bread-and-a-circus-part-i-of-ii.htm
“The people of Baqubah have been demonstrably ecstatic. Other than inthe Kurdish areas, I have never seen such overt gratitude from so manyIraqis. Iraqis continue pointing out al Qaeda operatives and theirhidden bombs.”

Fact Sheet: Al Qaeda in Iraq. White House July 24, 2007
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070724-9.html

President Bush Discusses War on Terror (transcript, audio, video).President Bush, 24 July 2007
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070724-3.html#
“They know they’re al Qaida. The Iraqi people know they are al Qaida.People across the Muslim world know they are al Qaida. And there’s agood reason they are called al Qaida in Iraq: They are al Qaida ... in... Iraq. The facts are that al Qaida terrorists killed Americans on 9/11,they’re fighting us in Iraq and across the world, and they are plottingto kill Americans here at home again. We will defeat al Qaida in Iraq.”

I have seen the horror.Al Qaeda is guilty of monstrosities in Iraq - no matter what anyone saysby MICHAEL YON, Sunday, August 5th 2007
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/08/05/2007-08-05_i_have_seen_the_horror-2.html

Top Central Command Enlisted Leader Says Surge Making Progress By JimGaramone August 3rd, 2007
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46923

Marine unit commander wants to shed some gear. By Franklin Fischer.Security improves in Ramadi. By Lisa Burgess Stars and Stripes Mideastedition, Saturday, August 4, 2007
http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=55416&archive=true

Gates: Troop Surge in Iraq Pays Off in Heightened Security. By DonnaMiles, Aug. 5, 2007
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46946

25,000 abandon insurgency: U.S.IRAQ | American military estimate highlights tribal strategy by JIMMICHAELS August 6, 2007
http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/498494,CST-NWS-iraq06.article

Remarks by Vice President Cheney at the 84th National Convention of theMarine Corps League, Aug. 6, 2007
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-06-2007/0004640218&EDATE=

The Surge is Working! by Richard S. Lowry [author] 8/7/07
http://www.californiarepublic.org/archives/Columns/Lowry/20070807LowrySurge.html

How the surge suceeded shown on interactive map
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1884943/posts

Democrats praise military progress By KIMBERLY HEFLING, Associated PressWriter, August 8, 2007
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8QT56I80&show_article=1

The United Nation Returns to Iraq, By Austin Bay, August 15, 2007
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/AustinBay/2007/08/15/the_united_nation_returns_to_iraq

Happy Surge Day! By Ben Johnson, FrontPageMagazine.com, 8/21/2007 (Surge began mid July to mid August?)
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=CFF6926B-15E0-4992-A140-4AE63A4A0034

IRAQ’S RE-LIBERATION By RALPH PETERS, 22 August 2007
http://www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/print.php?url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/08222007/postopinion/opedcolumnists/iraqs_re_liberation.htm

Has Maliki Ended The Insurgency? By Ed Morrissey 22 August 2007, (Political Progress)
http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/011890.php

Southeast of Baghdad, the Surge is Working. (Yes, I’m an eyewitness. No, don’t argue unless you’re prepared to come over here and hang out too. ) By Jeff Emanuel
http://www.redstate.com/stories/war/southeast_of_baghdad_the_surge_is_working

Truth Blackout, IBD editorial, August 27, 2007. (Political Progress)
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=273106587570782

Our troops have earned more time, Rep. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver WA, 24 Aug 07
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003850954_bairdop24.html

Petraeus: Troop Buildup Working in Iraq
Friday, August 31, 2007
http://newsmax.com/international/australia_petraeus/2007/08/31/28966.html

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

I understand the Moveon.org has a full page ad in the NYT that calls Petraeus “betray-us.”

[Red_Devil 232]

"... 30,000 of them are the so-called surge forces, the extra forces that have been in Iraq since February."

The final contingent of the "Surge Forces" did not arrive in Iraq until mid June and that is when the "Surge" really cranked up and started showing positive results.

The DBM always spins this fact!

[deputac]

Actually, the MSM is concerned that American Forces are killing off their main demographic watchers. Who will listen to ABCCBSNBCCNNNPR now?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Excellent point.

[EDINVA]

“Everyone” being defined as the CNN and other MSM newsrooms.

[LibLieSlayer]

al qaeda news network.

LLS